A Rainy Night of Realization
by piccolodian
Summary: Elsa is worried that her "act of true love" may raise some questions as to what sort of love she really feels for her sister. Anna, on the other hand, is still trying to figure out what being in love is actually like. Elsanna. Prequel to A Rainy Night of Miracles
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: I usually plan my stories in great detail. That might be why I never finished any. So, I'm trying a new method. I'm winging it. This is the prequel for my short one-shot "A Rainy Night of Miracles". I realized that the short explanation behind the birth of Nicholas may have not been clear enough. Here's the (really) long version. Crossing my fingers that this goes well!**

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_An act of true love._

Elsa paced back and forth in her room. The celebrations had finally calmed down. The people cheered at the end of the "accidental" winter she had put them all through. All of them were such good people to accept Elsa despite the whole incident. Elsa could hear them celebrating outside the now open gates of the castle. Anna was probably out there, too. She and Kristoff might be off riding that new sled Anna had gotten for him. Elsa smiled momentarily as she imagined Anna's gleeful face riding on a speeding snow sled. Then she remembered the problem at hand.

_An act of true love. _

Yes, it was an act of true love that had melted the magical ice within Anna's heart. It was that very act of true love that had the Queen of Arendelle stressed and wearing tracks on her bedroom carpet while the rest of the kingdom rejoiced. Would Anna realize the significance of what had happened? So many people were there, watching as the moment happened. Would anyone realize what had occurred?

Several history books laid in piles throughout her room. All of them quickly skimmed through. There has never before been an account of it. Spells and magic have happened before. Sleeping maidens locked away to be rescued by true love. Curses of humans turned into frogs, only to be turned back by a kiss of true love. Not a single account ever mentioned that friend or family love had ever been able to break a spell that required "true love." If it were possible, no parent would have to lock away their daughters. No family would lose their child as they turned into some animal that gallivanted away. The love of a parent for a child would have been enough. Alas, it was never enough. Elsa's guarded secret was now exposed to the world for anyone who cared to take a second look.

_I'm in love with Anna._

She knew, buried within her heart and mind, that the things she felt for her sister felt a lot like what the girl felt for the boy in the books. After exploring a bit of the hidden side of the library when she was scarcely a teenager, she realized that the love she felt for Anna was much more like what the girls in the books felt for other girls. A slightly different feeling than loving a boy, after all she didn't crave for Anna's _chiseled chest_, rather her softer curves and feminine looks. Despite the evidence and nagging feeling at the back of her mind, she never fully realized what exactly it was that she felt for her sister…until the moment Anna was a frozen statue, her last breath a short wisp in the cold air.

Perhaps it would happen when the celebrations calmed down and the people returned to their normal lives. It's been three days since the end of the frost- it shouldn't be too much longer until things settled down. Then maybe they would ask themselves why Elsa's love unfroze Anna's heart.

Elsa signed and ran her hand through her hair (fingers _and_ palms touching her hair, a sign of a "lesbian", she once read) as she sank down onto the edge of her bed. There was nothing more she could do but wait and see if her paranoid mental ramblings would come true. What more could she do other than continue to feel these newfound feelings? Not feeling was no longer an option when it was the realization of these very feelings that saved Arendelle and allowed her to control her powers. But perhaps, just maybe, she could manage with merely _concealing._

_..._

In Weselton, the Duke paced back and forth very similarly to how Elsa had been doing back in Arendelle but for entirely different reasons. Trade with the Arendelle had been cut off and the kingdom had taken quite a blow from it, though the Duke would never admit it.

"How dare she!" the Duke ranted, his body guards silently watching his hair piece flopping around in anger. "The monster is forgiven and _I_ get cut off? How dare they! We could have easily taken control of Arendelle if it weren't for that sister of her getting rescued. Damn them all!"

He sank to the chair one of his guards strategically placed behind him.

"If only we had stopped the boy from getting to her. Then his love would have never saved Princess Anna and that monster would have been shunned by her kingdom. Arendelle would have looked to me for guidance! They would have begged for my help!"

"Sir, it was Queen Elsa who saved her sister," one of the guards spoke up. It startled the ranting Duke momentarily when he remembered that his guards actually had the ability to speak.

"What?"

"Yes, sir. Queen Elsa hugged her sister and she unfroze," piped up the other guard.

"But…that's impossible. Only an act of true love could have stopped that. They're sisters. Love that breaks spells has always been the romantic sort," the Duke muttered to himself quietly. The guards shrugged their shoulders and continued to stand as their charge went on with his conclusions.

"If it was Elsa that broke the spell…then that means-" A smirk appeared on the scheming Duke's face as everything clicked inside his head.

"Yes. If they wish to cut off trade with us, then I suppose I'll have to convince everyone to cut off trade with them. After all, what sort of respectable kingdom would want to trade with a land that supports such _blasphemous_ love?"

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**A/N: Short introduction, I know. Hopefully the chapters get longer as this goes on. **


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: A longer chapter, yay *high five's self* Maybe I can actually get into this story writing stuff. I apologize ahead of time for any spelling/grammar mistakes.**

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"Princess Anna, would you like to taste some of our foreign cheese?"

"Princess Anna, how are you? Would you like to purchase this necklace for yourself? Half-off for your majesty!"

"Princess Anna, would you like to see-"

"Princess Anna, would you like to taste-"

"Anna, are you listening to anything I've said?" exclaimed Kristoff, jolting her out of her overwhelmed state.

"Sorry Kristoff, but look at all these people! Gosh, there are so many cool things here. Did you see the store we just passed? Who knew Arendelle sold giant bendy straws!"

Anna and Kristoff were walking along the streets of Arendelle with their hands linked together (not on a sled, as Elsa had imagined). The young princess, not accustomed to so many people, was amazed by the sights and colors of the world outside the castle. The place was so…busy. Things were happening in every corner and moment was constant. No one really stood still, except perhaps the old man who sat on his rocking chair in front of a store, enjoying the snow free sky.

"I'm really glad you get to see all of this. Now that everything's over, you get the chance to really connect with the people. They're all really nice, you'll see," said Kristoff.

The look of happiness on Anna's face caused Kristoff to pause their walking and lean in for a kiss. In that moment, Anna's eyes glazed over when she suddenly sniffed the air.

"Chocolate," she whispered as she walked in a mesmerized state to the bakery that contained that heavenly smell. Missing the disappointed look in Kristoff's face, Anna smiled widely to the baker behind the counter.

"Hello, Princess. What can I do for you today?" greeted the baker.

"I want whatever that awesome chocolatey smell is coming from," Anna said excitedly, her braids jumping up and down along with her.

"Ah, you mean the chocolate cake I just baked," he chuckled. Anna merely nodded her head rapidly.

The baker proceeded to place the recently baked cake on the counter. It was a chocoholic's true dream. Layers upon layers of smooth chocolate icing that covered the still warm chocolate cake fluff. Anna's mouth watered as the man wrapped it up in a box and handed it to Anna, who then gave it to Kristoff to hold.

"How much will it be?" Anna asked while pulling out her money pouch.

"No charge for you, Your Highness," the baker insisted. "Just make sure to share it with the Queen. She hasn't been down here since the snow ended. Maybe this will convince her to come give us little people a visit."

"Oh, thank you, thank you, thank you! I'll totally tell Elsa to come next time! She loves chocolate almost as much as I do and I'm sure we'd love to get something next time. She'll have to come."

After another few thank you's and a quick goodbye, Anna snatched the box from Kristoff's arms as she quickly walked back to the castle, eager to get a taste of the chocolate. Her blond haired boyfriend merely sighed as he took off in a light jog after her.

"Do you think she'll want to come tomorrow?" Anna called back to Kristoff without checking if he were actually following.

"I'm sure she'd like to, but she's probably really busy. Elsa's queen now and has a lot of kingdom-ly things to do, right? But I'm sure she'll have time soon!" he answered.

Anna stopped abruptly. She realized she hadn't seen much of Elsa the past three days except breakfast and before they retired to their rooms. Even then, Elsa had seemed distracted just as Anna was distracted by all the things she had yet to witness of Arendelle. Now that everything was winding down to a peaceful calm, the queen had yet to make an appearance and Anna realized she too had a royal duty: to share Elsa's burden and make sure she didn't die under a stack of papers.

"You're right, Kristoff," Anna said with determination. "Elsa needs my help. I'm going to go help her and eat chocolate cake with her!"

"That's not what I-"

The young princess picked up speed and lightly jogged toward the castle with a stubborn look on her face, the cake box clutched carefully within her hands. Kristoff sighed once more and followed his determined girlfriend.

When they reached the gates, Anna gave a quick wave of acknowledgement to both her boyfriend and the guards before sprinting into the castle without another word. She continued running as best as she could, until she tripped at the hallway near Elsa's room. In a desperate attempt to save the delicacy, Anna angled her body so that she landed on her back. Her bottom and back were in pain, but she held up the undamaged box in triumph.

"Oh is that for me?" came a teasing voice from behind her head. Anna tilted her head further back to see the speaker.

Elsa was there, looking as regal and elegant as ever in her normal non-icy dress, even in the upside down view that Anna currently saw her in.

"Yep. Chocolate cake. Fresh out the oven. Wanna share?"

"On the floor or are we going to eat this at a table?" Elsa asked, brow raised in amusement.

"Let's go to your room. I feel like I haven't been there in forever," said Anna, already standing up and heading towards Elsa's door.

The fiery girl plopped down in the middle of her sister's room on the ground. She opened the box that contained the chocolate cake and took a deep breath. Just as she was about to dig in, she realized that she had nothing to eat with but her hands.

"Uh, heheh, looks like I forgot the forks," Anna laughed sheepishly.

Elsa merely shook her head before conjuring two ice forks out of thin air and handed one to Anna. She gracefully sat down on the carpet before taking a delicate bite of cake while managing to look as royal as if she were in the banquet hall having dinner with other nobles. Anna quickly took the hint and began to dig in. Twin moans were heard as Elsa and Anna tasted the sweet godlike chocolate. Anna decided to take the opportunity of the calm atmosphere to ask her sister.

"You know, the baker gave this to me as a gift. He was wondering when you were going to go down to meet the people." Anna began.

Elsa, not thinking clearly due to the chocolate bliss clouding her mind, responded, "Yeah, I'd love to go. My goodness this cake is amazing. I'll have to hire the man. Do you think we could get him to work in the palace?"

"So you'll go with me to town?" asked Anna excitedly.

Elsa was immediately snapped back. "Um, that might not be such a good idea. I have a lot of paperwork to go through. I caused a lot of damage and I'm trying to find a way to fix it all."

"Let me help you!" Anna cried out. "I-I know I'm not as smart as you about these sort of things, but there has to be something I can help you with. I can learn. You aren't alone anymore."

The pleading look in Anna's eyes made Elsa want to agree to go with her to town, but she didn't think she would be able to keep her adoring eyes off of Anna. It would be difficult enough keeping her feelings a secret from Anna—it'd be impossible to keep it hidden in front of everyone else. She let out a quiet breath before responding.

"Anna, maybe you weren't trained to handle Arendelle's affairs to the extent that I was, but you are so much smarter and so much braver than I am. Though I might not be able to go to town with you any time soon, I would be honored to accept your assistance."

Elsa and Anna shared a quiet smile when their eyes met. The blond haired queen blushed and cast her eyes back down to the cake they were eating. Anna, sensing Elsa's awkwardness, decided to change the subject.

"So, ice forks huh. Pretty cool. Did you practice making things like this when you were here? I imagine you did. There's only so much you can do stuck in a room all the time," said Anna.

"Not exactly. Making things comes naturally to me. I don't think I could have practiced making ice castles in here. I mostly read books and painted. I think I've read nearly all the books in the castle. How did you spend your time?"

"I ran around a lot, crashed into a few things. I slid on the floor with my socks on, and crashed into more things. I mostly talked to paintings, and well, your door," Anna ended quietly.

Elsa turned away with a sad look.

"I'm sorry I shouldn't have brought that up."

"That was my favorite time of day. Listening to your voice. You kept me sane, Anna. I'm so sorry I wasn't there for you when you needed me."

Anna bit her lip, unsure how to reply.

"Was it fun sliding on the floor?" Elsa asked suddenly. She suddenly blushed. _That was a stupid thing to say!_ Elsa thought to herself.

Anna giggled at the light tinge of red on Elsa's cheeks and fought the urge to take her in her arms and give her a tight squeeze. She was quickly forgetting the awkwardness when a playful smile adorned her face.

"Want to try it?" the red haired girl asked, already getting up as if predicting Elsa's yes.

"That's not very becoming of a queen," Elsa tried to retort.

"Nonsense! We have a lot of childhood memories to make up for. Let's go!"

Anna dragged her sister off into the hallway. She slipped off her shoes and urged the timid queen to follow her lead. The younger sibling ran forward and slid across the floor until she toppled over and fell. Elsa laughed at the display until Anna huffed, slid back toward her, and tried to get Elsa to slide with her. They were unprepared though, and after a sharp pull from Anna, Elsa toppled on top of her, both giggling.

"I can see what you mean by crashing into things," Elsa chuckled as she wiped a tear from her eyes. She jumped when Anna suddenly grabbed her hand and looked into her eyes.

"We'll keep practicing and we'll be the best floor sliders in Arendelle. But you've got to let me help you so we can get a lot of practice, okay?" Anna said seriously.

Elsa's heart leaped at Anna's attempt to convince her to share the burden. She reached with one hand to caress Anna's cheek. Elsa gave an endearing smile at her sister's unending kindness and unmatched warmth. With a quick kiss to Anna's forehead, she promised to both Anna and herself that she would always be there to protect that precious heart. No matter what.

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**A/N: Cake fic reference*cough cough***


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: So...this "winging it" technique I'm trying. It's _hard_. Not planning things too much sucks. I know how it ends, but I'm not all that sure how I'll get there. **

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"C'mon Elsa, hurry up!" Anna danced around Elsa as they walked toward the meeting room.

"Calm down, Anna. I don't know why you're so excited about a boring meeting," Elsa replied as she tried to walk as dignified as possible with Anna flitting around.

"But it's my first meeting and I finally get to help you. I'm sure there will be a lot of interesting things we'll talk about," Anna replied.

Elsa rolled her eyes at her sister's optimism as she pushed open the tall doors to the meeting room.

"Whatever you say, Anna."

…

…

"…I guess that settles the issue of our new trading partner. The fleet will be sent to deliver the good within a week's time," Elsa concluded, shuffling the papers together. "If there is nothing more to discuss, I believe this meeting is adjourned."

Anna was snoring slightly with a small trail of drool on the corner of her mouth as she slumbered in her place next to her sister. At the sound of Elsa's shuffling, she bolted up.

"Huh, yeah, good meeting guys. Same time next week?" asked Anna.

"Pardon us, Princess Anna and Queen Elsa, but as your advisers, there is another issue we have been meaning to talk to you about," said one of the men.

"Go on," said Elsa, settling back down.

"We've been meaning to ask if we will start holding balls in order for your Majesty to find a proper suitor. I'm sure there are plenty of eligible gentlemen who would ask for your hand. It would do us well to strengthen ties with other kingdoms," he continued. Elsa eyes widened and the papers she held in her hands slowly began to freeze. Anna was suddenly completely awake and worried.

"But," interrupted another grey haired adviser, "We also realize that you are an excellent ruler. Marrying a prince is not necessary for you. I'm sure the people can agree that we have had enough of foreign princes' attempting to overtake our wonderful kingdom. Which is why most of us have agreed that perhaps it is best to start thinking of potential husbands for the princess. Our main goal, you must understand, is have an heir produced eventually."

The papers in Elsa's hands shattered and anger filled her face. The temperature in the room suddenly dropped until their breath became visible.

"I _refuse_ to subject my sister to that. I will not sell her off to some man like cattle! I will take the responsibility. Rest assured that we will not be having another Hans. I will take the necessary precautions to prevent that. This meeting is over."

With a slap to the table, Elsa stood up angrily. Anna also stood up and wrapped her arms around Elsa. The temperature in the room rose back to normal and the advisers visibly calmed down and relaxed.

"I'll do it. If it is for the good of the kingdom, I can deal with it. There is no need for Elsa to burden herself anymore than she needs to," said Anna.

"No!" cried out Elsa. The advisers merely sat in their seats and watched the exchange with fascination. "You can't."

"Can you even have kids?"

Anna immediately regretted her words as she saw Elsa's devastated expression. The men looked at each other and nodded with realization. Could Elsa's powers possibly prevent her from bearing children? Elsa slowly began to back away when she realized she had no argument.

"I-I'll find a way. I'll come back a-and figure this out and I'll have a way," she said as she turned and ran out the door.

Anna took a few steps before deciding to let Elsa go. She couldn't have Elsa marrying anyone, not when she just got her sister back. Maybe it was an irrational fear, but she was scared of Elsa giving someone else more attention when it was the one thing she craved her whole life. If there were some way to produce an heir of royal blood _and_ keep her relationship with her sister, she would find it. Who better to consult than the man raised by the love experts?

…

…

"…And I just don't know what to do Kristoff! How do we even know if Elsa can have kids? Are we willing to risk it? I don't want her marrying some…jerk!" Anna ranted as she and Kristoff were riding on a cart pulled by Sven (as it was too warm for the sled). It was a special date Kristoff had planned, but it seemed like Anna's mind was elsewhere.

"Well, she _is_ Queen of Arendelle. Isn't that part of the job description or something?" asked Kristoff.

"But she's my _sister_. I can't let her get hurt. This is supposed to be our happily ever after, you know? We're suppose be the champion floor sliders!"

"Huh?" asked Kristoff, before shaking off Anna's strange ways that he was slowly getting used to. "Look, why don't we just ask my family for advice? Grand Pabbie knows more about magic than anyone else I know."

"Great idea! Let's go now."

"How about I just talk to Elsa about it later? After all, this is about her. Let's just enjoy our date," reasoned Kristoff.

Anna huffed in resignation and sat in the cart until they finally made it to a beautiful clearing. After the end of the winter, life bloomed quickly in Arendelle and it showed in the place they stopped at. The bright green grass was covered by a cloth that was previously set up. Kristoff jumped out the cart with a basket that seemed to appear out of nowhere and he helped Anna get down. The princess's eyes widen at the kind gesture from her boyfriend to set up such a lovely picnic. He leaned down to kiss her and instead of being distracted by the smell of chocolate like last time, she accepted his advances.

When Elsa had asked Anna back at the coronation, "what do you know about true love?", she hadn't been that far off from the truth. Living in isolation with limited contact with people left her…lacking in some knowledge. The only thing she really knew about love was from the fairy tale books she would read about princes rescuing the princesses and riding off with them for a happily ever after. Maybe that was why she was so ready to accept Hans' proposal. It simply fit the only description of romantic love she had come to know. It may have also been the reason why she so readily accepted Kristoff's kisses as adequate and…nice.

It was nice to have her boyfriend's lips on hers. It made her feel safe to have his big calloused hands gripping her. It made her feel wanted and…nice. Anna didn't really see what all the fuss was about. Love was a lovely thing and something she could live with. Perhaps it gets better with time? At least, she thinks it's love. After all, didn't Olaf say that Kristoff loved her?

Anna smiled at him shyly as soon as the kiss ended and he led her to the blanket. They sat down and he opened the basket. The smell of warm food filled the air while Anna impatiently waited for Kristoff to take everything out. Conversation comes easy and the general atmosphere eased as the tension seeps out of Anna. While the situation with Elsa was troubling her, Anna decided to leave it in the back of her mind while she spent the rest of her date remembering why Kristoff was perfect. He was a gentleman without being a snob. He made her laugh until her cheeks hurt. And he brought her chocolate. How amazing was that?

Okay, well, maybe not _that_ amazing. Everyone knows she loves chocolate, but it was a grand gesture to bring chocolate from the baker from last time. The scent was familiar and the taste was heavenly. Anna knew exactly where it came from.

After everything was devoured (the chocolate mostly by Anna), Kristoff pulled Anna towards him and proceeded to kiss her like before. Anna responded eagerly, until she felt him pull her closer yet and his hands sink slightly slower than usual. Suddenly, things were too intimate for Anna to take and she pulled away.

"It's getting late," she said, a blush covering her face.

"Yeah that's fine. I'll take you back now," said Kristoff, silently chastising himself for taking it a bit further. He thought Anna wouldn't mind, but perhaps it was too soon.

They went back in silence up until the gates where Anna gave Kristoff a kiss on the cheek and a quiet goodbye. He stared after his girlfriend with a sinking feeling in his stomach.

…

…

The next morning, Anna and Olaf were hanging around the 'painting room' (as Anna called it) trying out different vegetables and fruits as back up noses for Olaf.

"Hm, what about the tomato?" asked Olaf.

"I don't know. It's kind of big. I think the cherry is perfect. It's so cute on you," gushed Anna.

"The cucumber is definitely out though, right?"

"Definitely," Anna agreed.

"Say Olaf," Anna began, trying to figure out how to bring up the subject. "Do you remember how you told me that Kristoff loved me. How did you know? How does someone know that they're in love with someone else?"

"Well, he went through an awful lot of trouble just to help you and he didn't even know you. He risked his life for you! If that's not love, I don't know what is," reason Olaf.

"Yes, but you did, too. You went through all this trouble and you almost melted just to help me save Elsa, but I'm pretty sure you just love me as a friend," Anna retorted.

"Well, yeah. That's what I meant."

"Hold on, so when you said Kristoff loved me, you meant as a friend? Not romantically?" Anna questioned.

"Psh, what do I know about romance? I don't exactly have any experience with that. I do know friendship when I see it though," said Olaf, clearly unaware of the sudden questions popping up in Anna's head.

"So, he doesn't love me?"

"He might. I don't know how long it takes for someone to fall in love with someone, but he does like you."

"But…the stories I read-"

"Fairy tales, right? I think you told me about them before. Aren't those just supposed to be stories that are fake?" said Olaf.

"How do I find out what love is then?" cried out Anna in an exasperated tone. The fruits and vegetables flew off her hands and dress as she paced around.

"You should ask Elsa. She's really smart."

"She is," Anna nodded in agreement.

"Or you could try the library. I was there the other day. Did you know that if I melted, I would have turned to water, then evaporated and turned into a cloud? How cool is that?" said Olaf.

"You're a genius, Olaf!" Anna said, kissing Olaf on the cheek. She ran out the room toward the library. Anna gave a quick pause before calling back to Olaf, "I still think the cherry is the best one!"

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**A/N: Maybe I was a bit lazy with this chapter...I'm hoping the next one turns out better. **


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N: Didn't have much time to write, so this took a bit longer. So here is a longer chapter than usual. **

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Elsa ran into Kristoff on her way back from breakfast.

"Kristoff, what are you doing here? If you're looking for Anna, she just left with Olaf to the kitchens. Something about noses and emergencies," she said, looking away. She felt awkward being alone with Anna's boyfriend, the man who was allowed to do what she could only dream of. Though she felt no animosity towards him, there were still twinges of jealousy and discomfort.

"Actually, I was looking for you," Kristoff said, rubbing the back of his neck shyly. "-Your Majesty," he added quickly.

"Well, I'm all ears. I hope it won't take too long, though. I've actually got quite a bit or research to do," replied Elsa.

"It's about that. Anna told me about the problem you're having, so I came to help. I know that my family helped you guys when you were younger and Grand Pabbie seems to know more about your magic than anyone else in Arendelle. So I was thinking…maybe he could tell you what you want to know. I could take you whenever you're free."'

"Let's go now. The sooner we solve this problem, the sooner we can get on with more important matters." exclaimed Elsa. She walked as quickly as she could toward the gates, trying to contain her enthusiasm as best as she could. If she could find a way to have a child, then Anna could be hers for just a little while longer.

…

…

The familiar sound of tumbling rocks alerted Kristoff and Elsa that the family saw their arrival. After dog piling Kristoff in a warm welcome, the trolls bowed to Elsa before making way for Grand Pabbie.

"Greetings, Queen Elsa, what brings you here?" asked the elder troll.

"I have questions about my powers that I was hoping you could answer."

The troll waved for Elsa to follow while Kristoff stayed behind to catch up with large family. They walked some ways until they came upon a cave entrance at the base of a large rock formation. They entered and found themselves in a rather cozy looking place, complete with a fireplace, stools, a table, and shelves. Knickknacks and small toys covered the rather high up shelves. It seemed a bit odd to the queen how a race of creatures that spend most of their time rolled up like boulders have such commodities.

"This place was mostly for Kristoff when he was growing up," said Grand Pabbie, answering Elsa's silent question. They sat on the stools quietly as the troll waited for the young queen to speak. She fiddled with her fingers nervously before speaking.

"I'll try to be as straightforward as I can. You know more about my powers than anyone. Do you know if it's possible for me to have children?" Elsa asked, her body rigged as she waited for the answer.

"Yes…and no," answered Grand Pabbie. "Should your child inherit your ice powers, then the baby would be able to withstand the fluctuations of magic and temperature within your body. If the child does not, then I fear there is a large possibility that he, or she, will not make it. Are you willing to risk it?"

"No," sighed Elsa, slumping back on the chair, her whole body deflating in defeat. Maybe there was no solution. Maybe Fate was telling her that she is not meant to have Anna and that they should be as far away as possible.

"Is there no way?"

"There…might be," said the troll slowly. Elsa's eyes lit up with the sign of hope.

"I heard from Kristoff that you had created life. A snowman, in fact. We may be able to use that to our advantage," he continued.

"But the point of an heir is to take over the kingdom _after_ I pass on. My powers won't be able to keep a snowman alive after death," Elsa argued. Grand Pabbie hopped down from the stool and began to pace slowly around the room.

"Your ability to create life, it could be your solution. The only real problem was creating life. If you could build something sentient then transform it into a human, using your genes, then your problems will be solved! In theory, if humans could be turned to animals, then other living things could be turned human."

"Could we do that? How?" asked Elsa, catching Grand Pabbie's excitement. If she could create a human that had the Arendelle blood flowing through their veins, then tradition and the council of advisors would be satisfied. They wouldn't care where they came from. After all, blood was the only think that seemed to matter to them.

"I can't do it myself, but there are powerful witches and wizards living among the mountains that create the no-man's land between our country and the next. I will send for my old teacher to come. I'm sure she could find a solution."

Elsa strode over to the elder troll and wrapped her arms around his rough, fine-grained body.

"Thank you, Grand Pabbie. Even if this doesn't work, you have given me hope once more," said Elsa. "I've wronged Anna for years by neglecting her, especially after the death of our parents. If I could have a child, or rather, create one, it would be the least I could do for her. She should not have to be ruled by obligation and should love who ever she chooses."

"And what of you? Do you not want to find love?"

"No," Elsa replied, simply. Grand Pabbie knew not to continue so he gestured toward the door. They walked back in without saying a word, though there was plenty of noise to fill up the silence. The chirping of birds filled the air along with the scrabbles of some passing woodland creature. In the distance, small thunder-like sounds were heard of the playful trolls rolling around and having fun. The world was alive, or as Anna would say, the world was _awake_. It was a perfect description to describe the elation Elsa was feeling, not just because Anna wouldn't have to marry a prince from some far away land (Elsa crossed her fingers that she would stay with Kristoff and always be near) but also for the very fact that she might have a child. _A child_. Her second chance. She could not have Anna, but she might be able to have a child to hold and to give all her love to. All the love that had nowhere else to go but build up inside her over a slow period of time. Yes, she would love her child to dim her past sins and pave way for a happier future.

…

…

Anna was in the library surrounded by books. Anna was in the _library_ surrounded by _books_. It surprised her to think that she would find herself in a situation where she was researching and reading pages upon pages for personal reasons, not for obligation. Yet there she was, sitting in the library, basking in all the information she didn't think she would need to know. Olaf was right. Fairy tale love was much more different than real love, if the romance novel she was skimming through was any indication.

While she was still planning to go to Elsa for help, Anna felt better that she had some sort of foundation to work with. All the things she read so far varied—a slow building love, a quick love, unrequited love—but they all attempted to describe the indescribable feeling that caused the characters to blush, stumble on their feet, to push themselves beyond their capabilities and to _want_ and _feel_. It made her feel strangely empty when she realized that she couldn't relate. Not to the intensity described between the bound pages. They were just stories, too, right? Perhaps they weren't a clear indication of what it really meant to love.

Olaf had left a while back after reading bits about some lands so far up north that it was _always_ cold and snowing without magic and some lands down south that were always warm. He had taken his new cherry nose in the leather drawstring bag that he carried around his neck as he hadn't had the opportunity to ask Elsa for pockets, but he assured Anna that for now it would do to carry his few possessions. The small snowman was a good friend and a fantastic person to lend an ear, though he was a bit clueless sometimes. He was great company when he was there, but in that empty library, surrounded by books, Anna wished for _Elsa_ to show up.

The queen didn't arrive until sometime after dinner. She was clearly in higher spirits when she arrived than in the morning during breakfast. Anna assumed some of her research finally paid off. Perhaps Kristoff had come over and given her advice? Either way, Elsa had a lighter spring to her step and slight smile on her face, giving Anna the 'go' to find time to ask her sister about love. Perhaps Elsa wasn't the best person to ask, now that she thought about it. She quickly shook the thought away. If Elsa didn't know, then she could always ask someone else.

"Elsa, can I talk to you about something?" asked Anna hesitantly.

Elsa immediately took in Anna's unsure look and motioned for her to follow. They arrived in Elsa's room and Anna sat down on the edge of Elsa's bed while biting her lower lip—a habit she unconsciously did when she was nervous.

"What did you want to talk about?" asked Elsa.

Anna looked down at her hands as she spoke. "W-well, you see, I was doing a lot of thinking. Um, I'm not exactly sure if I love Kristoff."

"Why would you?" asked Elsa, confused. "You just met him."

Anna sighed with relief. "So then it's normal to not really like his kisses and get kind of awkward when he gets too affectionate?"

Elsa shook her head rapidly. "No, that's something different entirely. If you can't even stand physical intimacy…perhaps you might one of the people who don't like those things. Though rare, I've actually stumbled upon some interesting literature about the community as a whole…" Elsa shook her head to keep herself from trailing off into some tangent. "Regardless, as long as he still continues to make you feel those butterflies inside, you'll be fine. Just talk to him about it."

"Um, what if…they aren't exactly butterflies? What if they're more like…mosquitoes?" Anna said, blushing with embarrassment.

Elsa silently chastised herself for the sudden leap inside her when she realized what Anna was telling her. Anna wasn't attracted to Kristoff. She gave a quiet sigh of relief at the implication that she no longer had to have that sinking feeling in her chest whenever she thought of the fact that _other_ hands were allowed to roam Anna's body. For now, at least.

"Anna," began Elsa, as calmly as she could. "I don't think you have romantic feelings Kristoff."

Instead of the argument and denial that Elsa was expecting (much like during the Hans incident), Anna grabbed her head in frustration and leaned forward until her elbows rested on her legs. Her usual bouncing braids hung limply as if reflected the princess's worry.

"First, Hans, now Kristoff? How many more mistakes am I going to make? How do I know? I've read books, Elsa. _Books_. I could've been doing other fun stuff, but instead I'm in the library trying to learn what love is. So tell me, how do I know when I'm in love? Heck, how do I know when I _like_ someone?"

Elsa placed a gentle, gloveless hand on Anna's shoulder, something she took great pleasure in now that she could touch things with her skin.

"I-I'm not a writer, Anna. I can't describe love. All I know is that you think to yourself 'it's worth it'. If you find someone who makes waking up in the morning exciting, who makes you feel good and right, who makes you feel like you're always home even if the world feels like it's falling apart because it probably will since you're in charge of everything-" Elsa quickly caught herself before Anna realized she was talking about herself. "What I'm saying, Anna, is that you will know when you're in love when it feels like they've touched you with magic."

"In a good way," Elsa hastily added. "Not in a 'I-hit-your-heart-with-an-ice-beam' way."

Anna scooted next to Elsa and buried her head on her shoulder as she giggled slightly. The tension seemed to melt out of Anna as she mulled over Elsa's words while being slightly distracted by the scent of the woman with the ice powers. She smelled of mint and winter and her skin was a comfortable cool temperature. Anna snuggled a bit further but failed to notice Elsa tense up at the feel of Anna's hot breath against her. Even with a high collar, the queen could feel the heat seeping in and caressing her skin. She cleared her throat and interrupted Anna's musing.

"Yes, well, I have a book that maybe you'd like to read. I've found it describes the process of liking and falling for someone fairly well. I think I've got it in one of my desk drawers…"said Elsa. Anna stood up, immediately missing the refreshing smell, and walked over to the said desk.

"Um, I don't actually remember which drawer I put it in. It might be the left one," Elsa said to her as she remained sitting on the bed. Anna opened the right drawer of Elsa's desk.

"Your other left, Anna."

"No worries, Elsa. I got the book," said Anna as she tucked the book under her arm. "I think I'll go read it now. I need to think of what to say to Kristoff soon. Did he talk to you yet?"

"Yes he did. I went to visit the trolls and they were extremely helpful."

"Did you find what you were looking for?" asked Anna, her eyes widening with surprise at the thought of a solution being found.

"Maybe. I need to prepare some notes for a meeting to explain the situation. I'll tell you then, once I've found how to go about this. It might be tomorrow or the day after depending on how long it takes to gather the information I need, but I'll see you at breakfast tomorrow."

Anna nodded her head and turned to exit the room. "Thank you for listening to me Elsa."

Elsa tilted her head slightly as she acknowledged her sister, a soft smile on her lips and her eyes looking even softer. For some strange reason, Anna's breath hitched and her heart skipped a beat. The platinum blond hair of her sister was slightly less than perfect, probably from traveling she had done earlier. The look in her eyes was not the usual controlled look she carried around, but the look she reserved for Anna and Anna alone. Perhaps it was all the talk of love, but in that moment, when Elsa spoke her parting words, she had never before sounded so perfect.

"Goodnight, Anna."

…

…

That night, Elsa dressed for bed and remembered that she had a bit of time to catch up on some reading before going to bed. She reached beneath her pillow for that particular book she kept hidden, but found nothing there.

"I thought I left it here. Maybe one of the maids moved it when cleaning," Elsa mumbled to herself.

As she wondered where it could possibly be, her eyes drifted toward the desk. A thought suddenly appeared of where it might be. She bolted to the desk and opened the drawers. There, in the left drawer, was the book Anna should have taken. Meaning the book her sister took was…

"Oh no."

Elsa tried to keep calm as she walked to Anna's room to see if she could retrieve the book before she reads it. Her body betrayed her thoughts as Elsa's steps quickened and left a trail of slightly frosty footprints. She tried to softly turn Anna's doorknob, but it was locked. Frustrated, Elsa went back into her room as she tried to reason with herself. She could ask for the book early tomorrow. Maybe Anna didn't read it. Or, maybe she did and wouldn't think much about it.

Who was she kidding? Anna would definitely find out exactly what sort of things make the ice queen's heart melt.

…

…

Dawn's light was creeping through Anna's window. The chirping of birds slowly grew into a crescendo as the world began to sense its time of awakening. At least, a time of awakening for those who were asleep in the first place. Unlike Anna, whose sleep deprived eyes feasted on the pages of the book in her hands. Her cheeks were bright red and her breath was a little heavier than normal. During the small moments of that night when her attention deflected from the book momentarily, she would notice her thumping heart and slight tingles in her stomach. As the night wore on, the answers to many of her questions began to make their appearance. The reaction of her body briefly caused her astonishment as it was new to her. The heat of her body and the urge to quench the strange want in her body would have startled her more if it weren't for the book showing her exactly what it was that she wanted quenched. Nothing else had done that, not even the other books in the library.

Now, it was a new day. With the rise of the new sun, Anna realized her sister was far wiser than she once thought. How else would Elsa have chosen the perfect book to make her come to the conclusions on her own? Bound between the two covers, the young Arendelle princess was able to find her answers within the story of a girl who fell in love with a girl and proceeded to show exactly how much.

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**A/N: The way things seem to be going, I'm going to change the rating to M. Just in case. **


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N: So...quite a bit happened lately. First of all, I caught the Malora fever after I watched Maleficent. Wrote a one-shot for it in case you wanted to check it out called Wrapped Up in Feathered Blankets. Second, I've been very busy. Third and most importantly, I currently don't have internet so I wasn't able to upload sooner. So I'm at the local public library. I feel very strange uploading this chapter from here. Either way, enjoy! **

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Breakfast was slightly different that morning.

Elsa and Anna always made sure to have a least one meal together a day, but today, Elsa wished that she waited until lunch, maybe dinner? Anything to prolong the eventual confrontation with Anna. As a result, Elsa's usual impeccable table manners were stiffer than normal while her eyes darted from her food to her sister across from her. Anna, on the other hand, seemed to be in a haze. She ate sloppily (more so than usual) and her gaze was distant. There were bags under her eyes that worried Elsa, but out of hope that "The Conversation" could be avoided, she said nothing. Eventually, Anna finished her breakfast with a satisfied _clank_ of her utensil hitting the now empty plate. She reached down to her lap and took out the book she spent all night reading. After placing it on the table, Anna finally made eye contact with her sister and a shy grin appeared.

"I'm sorry, you shouldn't have read that book," Elsa said before Anna could open her mouth.

"I understand why you think so, but I get it, it was for the best," said Anna.

_Does Anna know?_ Elsa wondered. _What is it that she understands?_

"Maybe the book went into…a bit more detail than I would have imagined, but it had to be done. So don't think that I shouldn't have read it. It…really opened my eyes and I was finally able to answer some questions," Anna continued, not noticing the queen's internal debate.

_She _does_ know! But maybe I'm wrong. _Elsa began to fidget in her seat, but again, Anna didn't notice anything.

"I was a bit mad why you just didn't confront me about it before, but you were right, like always. I would have probably denied it and tried to ignore it. Now that I've figured it out myself, I can't ignore it. I can't say it isn't real. This book you lent me has left me absolutely no doubt. Which is why I wanted to tell you-"

_Oh no. Here it comes. The rejection. The disgust. _Elsa clenched her hands that rested on her lap in preparation.

"-Thank you."

_Huh?_

"I know it must have been difficult to give your _little sister_ a book like that, but you knew what you had to do. That's what makes you an amazing queen. I'm really happy to have someone looking out for me like that and to push me along. I finally know more about myself. Thanks, Elsa."

Anna stood up from the table and wrapped the stunned Elsa in a tight hug. She pressed a soft kiss on her forehead before leaving the dining room.

"I'll see you later today. I need to find Kristoff," Anna called back as the doors closed behind her.

_What just happened?_

…

…

The soft scratching noise of Elsa's writing was the only sound heard in her study. Books were piled beside her. She would frequently stop, grab a book, flip through the pages, and continue writing. She knew the law well enough, but she didn't want to leave any room for question. According to the established law, as long as the royal Arendelle blood was passed down, the details of how that came to be could be overlooked. Technically, if all else was lost, Elsa could adopt a distant relative and have them take over. Sadly enough, it was just Anna and Elsa left that were of true Arendelle blood. If everything she read is true, if she created life and it had her genetics, then the ancient laws would be appeased.

Misogyny was not very large in Arendelle, allowing women as well as men to rule in the kingdom as a whole and down to private shops and the heads of households. In fact, Arendelle was known as a very liberal country compared to its surrounding neighbors, which allowed Elsa to not bang her head over the concept of marriage and providing the kingdom with a king. Most things banned in the theocratic kingdoms were allowed to be left to the choosing of the individual citizen. Despite all the fairly loose laws concerning moral dilemmas, the one thing the kingdom prided and put above all was blood and family. After all, blood is thicker, as the saying goes.

_Perhaps a little _too _thick in my case, _thought Elsa as she momentarily remembered what had transpired during breakfast. To say she was still confused was an understatement. Elsa had no idea what exactly Anna was talking about other than the fact that her younger sister read the erotic lesbian novel and _thanked _her for it. In fact, from what Elsa had gathered, it seemed like Anna thought the move was on purpose. It eased Elsa's mind to know that Anna wasn't angry or disgusted, but she couldn't help but wonder why Anna would think the book was on purpose and what exactly it was she learned from it. Based on the content of the book, the queen could only imagine what sort of things Anna could have learned…but none of it had anything to do with the work she really had to get back to doing.

Yes, blood is thicker could be the unofficial motto of the Arendelle people, but it proved to be a faulty one. There were other more important issues that needed to be addressed, such damage control due to the recent "unexpected winter". They needed to find new trade partners and create alliances that had shaken during Elsa's displays of magic. So much had to be done, but again, blood is thicker and the council definitely agreed with the statement. Hopefully the research and what she had learned from Grand Pabbie would ease the mind of the council so that they may finally move on to the pressing matters.

Her mind wandered to Anna, as it always tended to do, and she wondered where she was and what she was doing. She mentioned that she was going to see Kristoff, but for what she didn't know. Elsa shook her head. Her mind was wandering too much to focus. Perhaps the kitchens had some chocolate to ease her nerves.

…

…

Anna paced back and forth mumbling to herself. The palace guards who waited with her weren't fazed by it—they knew her well enough by now to not the let strange antics of their princess get to them. She was dressed in her usual green color, but sporting a lighter dress for the increasingly warm weather. Anna wasn't usually the one to be able to dress correctly for the weather, but a light dress would not drag her down in case she had to run away from a carnivorous reindeer and an ax swinging ice harvester. Her imagination was running away again, as usual, while stranger and stranger scenarios appeared in her head. She shook her head at the image of an angry snowman stabbing all of her chocolate with a carrot and continued to practice her speech.

"Kristoff, I finally figured out why I don't like your lips…wait, no that sounds horrible," Anna mumbled as she continued to pace. "Kristoff, you're like shrimp and even if you look tasty, I'm allergic to you…that's worse. Life is like a box of chocolates…wait what?"

Anna shook her head and tried once more. "Kristoff, people are like straws, and I'm a huge bendy straw—"

"You're a what?" asked Kristoff, suddenly appearing next to Anna. She jumped up and stifled a scream.

"I like bendy straws!" she yelled before clamping her hands over her mouth. Kristoff just shook his head in amusement.

"That's good to know…"

Anna took a deep breath before her nerves got to her. "Kristoff, I wanted to talk to you about something."

"Sure hold on a sec, I just wanted to give you something first," said Kristoff, pulling a box from behind his back. Anna smiled at him awkwardly before opening the container. Inside she found a small, hand carved reindeer. She gasped lightly in awe. The guards took this as a cue to get back to the castle and let the couple be.

"I have a lot of time on my hands since there isn't a lot of ice to harvest right now. I made you your own Sven—unless you want to call him something else. Or it could be a girl, too! Whatever you want," explained the blond man while scratching to back of his head in embarrassment.

"I absolutely love it!" replied Anna honestly. She couldn't take her eyes off the adorable wooden figurine that resembled Kristoff's reindeer companion quite well.

"So what was it you wanted to talk about?" interrupted Kristoff. Anna's expression immediately fell when she remembered why she asked Kristoff to see her in the first place.

"Um, well, you see…it's fine, we can talk about it later," she rushed.

"Are you sure?"

"Mhm, yeah. Totally sure. Let's go."

Anna grabbed Kristoff and lead him into town. Sure, maybe she was prolonging the inevitable, but Kristoff gave a reindeer! A _handmade_ reindeer. How could she ruin a moment like that? Either way, she could use the extra opportunity to…confirm a few things.

…

…

It was a different thing to witness Arendelle in a celebration and Arendelle in a regular working day. Instead of the celebrations, the people worked as they did before the Winter, before Anna and Elsa came out of the castle, and perhaps even before that. It was comforting to know that no matter what went on around them, the common people continued on, picking up the pieces along the way as if nothing ever happened. Of course, this was just the part of Arendelle she had already seen, and it was such a small part compared to the rest of the kingdom! Today, she had Kristoff take them a little deeper into the world she had yet to witness.

"Kristoff, let's go this way!" exclaimed Anna. It was different, the general direction she was looking at. Darker, almost, despite that it was well into the afternoon. Kristoff quickly grabbed Anna's arm before she ventured further.

"I don't think it'd be a good idea to go that way. I've been there before and it's definitely no place for a princess like you," warned Kristoff.

"What's that's supposed to mean?" huffed Anna. "I should be able to see _all_ of Arendelle, no matter what sort of place it is."

"Trust me, Anna. The world isn't all sunshine and flowers and that area is a good example of that," said Kristoff in a darker tone.

Anna sighed in defeat and Kristoff smiled with relief. He turned around to head towards the crafting district when he heard the distinct patters of royal shoes running in the opposite direction. Kristoff quickly turned around and barely caught a glimpse of the princess's green dress. He tried to run after her, but she quickly lost herself in the maze that made up the "darker" side of Arendelle. It seemed like the lightweight dress had its use after all.

Meanwhile, Anna stopped to catch her breath and saw that she had lost Kristoff. She smiled triumphantly until she noticed that in the process, she managed to get herself lost without knowing which direction she came from. No matter, she could always ask for help. Until then, she allowed herself to explore a bit.

It was definitely darker in the area. The buildings seemed to bunch together as if to hide something between them. The further in she went, the heavier the air seemed to get. It took on a muskier scent, something completely foreign that she couldn't seem to place. Anna finally began to see the sort of people who came here. Soldiers were a large majority here. They seemed to keep their armor on as if to preen like a peacock even though they were clearly off duty. Merchants of a different sort would wander around, targeting people who seemed particularly upset for the latest "temporary happiness"- fresh batch, straight from the Eastern kingdoms, they promised.

Anna saw a building where a woman in scanty clothing guided people in like a shepherd, and like sheep they followed. She wondered what sort of store it was and decided to investigate further. The woman in front gave her a strange look, but shook her head and personally guided Anna inside.

"It's not often we get women here, but you're in luck, doll," said the strange woman. Her clothing seemed too tight and her skirts seemed too short and her brown hair too long. She was dressed in red and smelled of the musk that permeated the air of this district and sweet cigarettes.

"It's my first time coming in this area. It's really…interesting," mumbled Anna. She was confused as to what the establishment was, especially now that she was inside. The men were being led into some different area by other women and there were no trinkets or food being sold that she could see.

"Ah, a first timer. The male establishment is around the corner, but I'm pretty sure you came to the right place. I got an eye for those things, you know. No worries, Miss. I've got the perfect girl for you," said the woman.

"Diane, c'mere!" she called out to another lady. "I've finally got some work for you."

Diane, the girl that the woman had called over, came to meet them with a strong purpose in her steps. Her hair was a raven black and eyes were a piercing emerald green. Apparent freckles sprinkled her nose and tops of her cheeks, much like the Arendelle queen. She stood about Anna's height in a shirt and skirt that were more modest than that of the woman who Anna first met, but not by much. Diane was still young, perhaps Anna's age or a year or two younger, and smirking like she held all the secrets in the world.

"This here is Diane, Miss. She specializes in lady-only services. It's been a slow time for her these past two weeks and I'm sure she's glad she finally has some work," introduced the woman. She then left them to their own devices.

Diane said nothing but clutched Anna's hand and led her towards a room in the back. No one seemed to take notice of Anna. She didn't realize that no one would ever expect royalty to stumble into such a place. Their eyes simply overlooked what their brains registered as impossible. After all, people only see what they want to see, just as Anna continued to see some sort of shop that sold things she had yet to discover.

Once inside a room, Diane closed the door behind her. Anna sat on the bed and looked around. There wasn't much other than the bed. She continued to wonder what exactly this place specialized in.

"Such a proper looking girl in a place like this. Don't worry about a thing, girly. I'll make sure you are well taken care of" said Diane, sitting next to Anna.

"I just sort of found myself here, but thanks! I had no idea the people here are so nice! I don't know what Kristoff was talking about," said Anna.

"Kristoff Bjorgman? That bastard's still alive and kicking? Last I heard he finally got adopted and was still in the ice business," exclaimed Diane, momentarily distracted by the mention of her childhood friend.

"Royal Ice Harvester now. He's got a nice new sled and everything. Elsa even gave him his very own medal!" giggled Anna.

"Woah really? I've missed out on a lot," said Diane. She quickly shook her head and stood up. "Maybe we can talk more later. I'm sort of on the clock right now, but hey, after this I'm off work and we can talk all you want."

The mood suddenly changed when Diane glanced seductively at Anna and began to remove her top. Anna's jaw dropped as her eyes seemed to have a mind of their own when they roamed over the breasts that bounced free from their constraints. Diane pushed Anna onto her back and straddled her. This jolted Anna out of her trance.

"Wait, what are you doing?" yelled Anna, her face beet red and her eyes flickering from left to right and toward the ceiling, anywhere but the supple pale orbs in front of her.

"My job?" replied Diane, confused. "Did you want to keep the clothes on? We can do that."

"Do what?!"

"Um, have sex? Fuck? Frick frack? Letting me explore your snatch? Engage in coitus? The normal things that happen in a brothel?"

It seemed impossible, but somehow Anna's face became a brighter red with each word Diane spoke.

"I didn't know! I just found myself here!"

"Sheesh, did your parents not let you out of the house or something?" asked Diane, climbing off of Anna. She placed her shirt back on and crossed her arms expectantly.

"I don't exactly get out much. Kristoff and I were just exploring and I haven't been here so I wanted to come see it. Not that I think there is anything wrong with your job or anything, I just…this isn't what I was looking for. I mean, I was trying to find out if I liked girls or not, but not like this!" Anna rambled.

Diane took pity on Anna and gave her shoulder a squeeze.

"I could still help you find out, you know," said Diane, wagging her brows suggestively. Anna laughed and the tension eased in the room. "Still sucks though. I'm a strictly girls-only worker, so business wasn't good to begin with, but the winter really made things tougher," she added.

"Why go into it in the first place?" asked Anna. She held no disgust or accusation in her voice, just normal curiosity.

"I was just a kid when my parents died. I took the money I inherited, sold the house, and found myself on these streets looking for a job. This isn't just the red light district in Arendelle, you know. This is where all the orphans go to find out what to do with themselves. That's actually how I met Kristoff. Me and him stuck together, pooling the money we had to feed ourselves and pay for a place to stay. It was enough and a lot of people were nice enough to help us out sometimes. Employers always come here to find cheap labor. Don't get me wrong, they pay enough to live on, but much less than they give to the adults. That's why kids never stay on the streets long. It's a weird system, but everyone is happy with it. Anyways, I got picked up by the head lady here and soon after, Kristoff was picked by the ice harvesters. I was too young to do any _real_ work, but I cleaned, took care of the ladies here, and I stayed. Once I was old enough, I just started. It's all I've ever known, so it makes sense, you know? Luckily my new family here loves me 'cause not may gals get away with girls-only services, but they made an exception for me since I'm a strict lady-only lover."

Anna's eyes were wide with marvel at all the things Diane had told her. "Isn't there a place where orphans can go when they lose their parents?" asked Anna. Diane just shook her head.

"Gosh, we need to get on that! We can't have kids wandering around the streets like that. It isn't safe. As soon as I get back I'm going straight to Elsa so we can have a place established. It's no wonder there isn't a home like that if none of the royals ever come around here and find out!" Anna was now filled with enthusiasm of the new project she had in mind. This was her chance to be able to do something useful for the kingdom, just like Elsa was every day.

"You seem like you're pretty close to the Queen if you could 'go straight to her'," joked Diane.

"I should hope so, she's my sister after all."

Diane's jaw dropped and her eyes widened in surprise. She finally took in Anna's features and clothing and realized why she seemed so familiar.

"Welp, I have to go now to get started on this thing. Come by the castle sometime to visit! If you want, I could get you a job there. Better yet, you could be my assistant with this project! Please please please come over. It'll be fun," pleaded Anna. She dug around her coin purse and handed some coins to Diane. It was twice as much as Diane had been expecting if she actually performed her services. It only made her jaw drop lower.

"Sorry that I wasn't a real customer for you, but I have to go find Kristoff. He's probably really worried. Bye, Diane, don't forget to come over!" waved Anna happily.

She suddenly felt an arm stopping her from opening the door and twirling her around. Lips appeared and they pressed against her own. Though stunned at first, Anna found herself responding. This was it. The feeling she had been missing. Diane's lips were soft and warm, pressed against Anna's. _There_ were the butterflies she had heard of. The sweet rush in her blood. Her heart thumped faster while her eyes gently closed. Anna's arms snaked around the other girl's waist and pulled her closer and a slow foreign burning built up inside her when she felt Diane's body pressed tightly against her. Diane finally stepped back and smiled at the princess shyly.

"That was a thank you and I hope you finally answered your question. I'll be sure to visit, Princess Anna" she said.

Anna was still stunned from the kiss and hardly noticed when she suddenly found herself outside and without Diane beside her. Two giant arms appeared from nowhere and gripped her tightly.

"Anna, I was so worried! What were you thinking?" Kristoff lectured. Anna was finally snapped from her stupor.

"I'm fine, Kristoff. See, I handled myself just fine. Let's go home," said Anna, avoiding Kristoff's eyes. He didn't notice her reluctance to meet his gaze when he leaned in to kiss her. Anna stepped back and found herself throwing away hours of practice with a single half yelled confession.

"I like girls!"

…

…

It was dark now. She had missed dinner with Anna, but the tray full of empty plates on Elsa's desk showed that Gerda was there to make sure the queen didn't starve herself while she remained immersed in her work. She had finished the research for council meeting she called for the day after tomorrow in regards to the problem with the heir, and so she began assessing the damage done by _her_ winter and was doing all she could to disperse the construction funds to where it was needed most. It would be sometime until everything was fixed, but she smiled when she thought of its significance. Perhaps the kingdom took a beating, but they would rise up and prosper once more. It excited her, despite all the paper work that came with it, but to be able to witness the kingdom that _she_ now ruled to rise from its ashes like a phoenix was a thrilling anticipation.

Every ruler wants to leave their mark, to be remembered forever as the great leader who forever resides in the history books. Elsa didn't care much about being remembered, but she definitely didn't want to be remembered as the witch queen- the evil sorceress who froze the whole kingdom because she couldn't control the pain in her heart. At the very least she wanted to be remembered a benevolent ruler, nothing too exciting happening, other than the fact that she had magic ice shooting from her hands.

It wasn't a noise that shook Elsa out of her musings, but rather the silence. It was undeniably late now; the castle had long since gone to sleep. The tired queen stood and stretched before walking back to her room. If she weren't so tired, perhaps she would have noticed the other presence in her room. Alas, she did not. She stripped herself from her clothes, and just as she finished putting on her night gown, a foreign voice spoke.

"As much as I enjoyed the show, I came here for other reasons."

Elsa jumped and ice quickly froze the room. A hand shot out and clamped around Elsa's wrists. She tried to escape, but the fingers around her arm clung tightly. Elsa tried to freeze the perpetrator's fingers off, but found that her magic wasn't working. After a few moments of silent struggle, Elsa slumped forward.

"What do you want from me?" Elsa muttered in defeat.

"I just want to…talk."

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**A/N: Umm...I don't know what happened when I wrote this. Diane was never supposed to exist. That whole scene was never supposed to happen. Somehow it just appeared. **

**Woo for double cliffhanger! **


	6. Chapter 6

**A/N: Okay, not exactly my best chapter, I apologize. Please read the Author's Note's at the end of the chapter for a few announcements about this story.**

**Also, over 100 followers? You guys are awesome. **

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It was day two since her impromptu coming out of the closet and breaking up with Kristoff. He had taken the news surprisingly well—thanking her for telling him as soon as she found out instead of leading him on while he continued to fall a little closer to love with her. Yet Kristoff was still human, no matter how amazingly accepting he was, and asked Anna to give him some time to process things. He was upset, yes. Anna is a wonderful girl and he felt lucky to be dating the beautiful princess, but he hadn't known her for too long and was thankful Anna made this discover early on. Anna understood it all, but she hoped he would come to terms with it soon. She missed her best friend and she was feeling horribly lonely.

Anna looked up sadly from her bowl to the empty chair across her. She hadn't seen Elsa at all yesterday and it pulled at her heart to have her sister missing their together meal so soon after promising at least one a day.

Yesterday she had no one to talk to. Elsa had disappeared somewhere. Kristoff was doing whatever he was doing. Olaf was…well he was always everywhere. You could never find the snowman unless he decided to look for you first. He could have been somewhere in the castle chatting the ear off some servant or off in the mountains keeping Marshmallow company. She began to wish she had gone back to visit Diane, but thought that it would be best to wait until she came to visit first.

The sulking princess looked up when she heard the doors open. Perhaps Elsa had come today? She almost expected to see Elsa walking in as if nothing was the matter, her hair in its perfect bun and head held high with authority. It wasn't her, sadly. Kai had entered the room and walked over to Anna.

"There is a meeting with the council today. Her majesty requests your attendance, Princess Anna," he stated with a slight bow. He was startled by the angry expression on Anna's face.

"So formal, huh? Couldn't even bother to tell me herself? Where is she anyway?" sneered Anna.

"I-I'm sure the queen meant no disrespect," stuttered Kai. "She's been very busy with an unexpected guest-"

"And no one thought to tell me that?" questioned Anna, her arms gesticulating wildly in her irritation.

"Please come to the meeting, Your Highness. I'm sure everything will be explained," said Kai, ready to escape the abnormal rage of Anna.

"Oh don't worry, I will."

Anna stood and stomped towards the meeting room where they were probably just sitting down and getting comfortable. She opened the doors harshly and found herself being stared at by the council, Elsa, and one other person. Her anger faltered when she realized there was someone she didn't know standing next to Elsa.

"Who is she?" she demanded. Elsa's eyes widened at the harsh tone of her sister.

"Anna, please be respectful! We have a guest who just arrived two nights ago," chastised Elsa.

"Why didn't you tell me?"

"Erm, her visit was really…unexpected," Elsa said, trying to awkwardly explain the sudden arrival of the guest.

"What can I say, I love a grand entrance. My name is Angela by the way, Princess," said the guest, speaking for the first time. "I believe an old student of mine said your queen was in need of my assistance?"

Anna averted her eyes from Elsa and took in the stranger's features. She looked…young. She was short, shorter than both Anna and Elsa but stood firm and powerful. She didn't have Elsa's elegance, but she held herself with a different sort of grace, one of power, of knowledge, much like that of a weathered war veteran in the highest rank. She looked no older than sixteen, with her youthful face and glossy fiery red hair that put Anna's to shame. Her eyes, on the other hand, were old as the mountains themselves and the deepest brown Anna had ever witnessed. Anna flared with slight jealousy to find no freckles marring her perfect, pale skin like that of many folks with red hair.

"I don't remember the guards announcing your presence. How did you get here?" asked Anna. Elsa quickly cleared her throat and attempted to divert the conversation elsewhere. Angela only smirked with accomplishment.

"Well, now that we are all here, why don't we all take a seat and get started," said Elsa. "Angela and I have been discussing the solution to our little problem. I thought it would be best if everyone heard it from her at the same time in order to avoid any miscommunication. She is also available for any questions. Angela?"

"Hm, yes. Right. Well, let's begin this, shall we?" Angela looked around the room and met everyone directly in the eye as if challenging them to question her credibility before beginning.

"As Her Majesty as mentioned, my name is Angela. I am a practicing witch from the bordering mountains of the north. Many years ago I had taken under my wing a student whom some of you many now know as Grand Pabbie, a troll from the Valley of the Living Rock. He wrote to me recently about the troubles Arendelle is having. From what he explained to me, I understand that the queen has ice magic and does not want to risk carrying a child. I also understand that she doesn't want her sister, the princess, to carry the obligation of producing an heir."

She paused a moment to see everyone shaking her head in confirmation. "My student had also sent me some observations and conclusions he made. The queen has produced a sentient being from her snow, but it cannot last past her end. Is it then possible to transform a magic created being into a self sustaining human? I have come to tell you it is."

The men began to smile and mutter among themselves. Anna merely waited in anticipation. "The process is taxing, but can be done. Curses are created with hatred and bad intentions. They turn humans into animals or objects. In order to do the opposite, there needs to be love and the best intentions. I can help with the spells needed, but what I need is the queen and her true love."

"Do you mean her soul mate? Surely that would be impossible to find with so many people in the world!" exclaimed one of the gray haired men. Angela shook her head.

"No, not a soul mate. Rather, one she loves truly. If the queen can fall in love truly with all her heart, and you bring them both to me, I can help them produce a child out of Elsa's magic. Since it would be made from Elsa, then it would technically have royal Arendelle blood, would it not?"

The men began to nod once again in agreement. Elsa decided to cut in to add her bit.

"I've searched the laws and found nothing that would go against the process. It would work out for everyone and think it's the best option we have," Elsa concluded. "Now that we have finished with that, I wanted to talk about the construction effort-"

"Hold on there, Your Majesty. I mean no disrespect, but we still have things we need to discuss," interrupted one of the men.

"We do?" asked Elsa, confused. She was sure that once Angela explained the process and Elsa assured them that nothing would go wrong in the legal side, they could finally move on. Why did they need to continue talking about it?

"Of course!" picked up another man. "We need to find a way to find your true love. I was thinking perhaps a ball?"

"Sounds like an excellent idea!" said another. "We could invite many princes _while _using the opportunity to strengthen alliances and possibly create new ones?"

Elsa said nothing but watched as her life was being planned out before her very eyes. Things were moving too fast and her mouth refused to work.

"Let's have it within the next two months. It should give time for preparation and to send out the invitations. We can have a committee along with the queen or princess to oversee the party while we have another group to focus on the construction effort. After all, we need the kingdom in tip top shape for our visiting guests."

"We could also build an orphanage while we finish fixing everything," added Anna. The men turned to look at her confused.

"…to show that our kingdom takes care of the children and really bring out the 'family first' Arendelle ideals?"ended Anna weakly. The men nodded and continued to plan.

Elsa was astounded. They finally got into the conversation of the construction effort and possibly dealing with the agricultural damage, but at what price? Before Elsa could even gather her thoughts, the meeting was over and the plans were made. The men exited the room leaving only Anna, Elsa, and Angela. They stood up to leave and Anna saw how close Angela got to Elsa. It bothered her more than she thought it would.

"So how did you get here?" Anna questioned once again. Angela smiled widely in excitement.

"Very interesting story actually. I happened to sneak into the castle and find myself in the queen's room. All coincidental, I assure you. I was hoping it was a guest room, but after that lovely show Her Majesty gave, I discovered the room was occupied. And must I say, princess, your sister is absolutely divine."

Elsa blushed furiously while Anna was appalled at the complete lack of tact that the witch had. Did she not have any idea who she was talking to?

"That is no way to talk about a queen!" lectured Anna.

"Well, I live in the no-man's land. She is no queen of mine. But with beauty like that, I would not mind being beneath her," winked the witch. The princess felt anger and jealousy flare up once more. How dare that woman talk about Elsa that way? And why wasn't Elsa doing anything about it?

"Look here, _kid_," said Anna, emphasizing the physical appearance of the witch. "The queen is off limits. If you want some company to keep your bed warm, I suggest you take your business to the local brothel."

"I just might," replied Angela, unfazed and clearly entertained by everything.

"I hope you do!" cried out Anna. Her voice was quite loud by now "It's a very good idea and you should ask for Diane!"

"I think I will before I get back home."

"Great! Because it really is a good idea and you should tell her I said hi and that she should visit!"Anna continued yelling.

"Okay, I agree. Why are you yelling?" asked Angela.

"I- uh, I don't know," replied Anna meekly in her regular speaking volume.

"Well then, I'll be on my way now. I was thinking of visiting my old student before I get ready to leave. I hope to see you _both_ again when we're making babies," Angela said, wagging her brows. She resembled Diane very much in that moment, Anna thought.

Elsa, who had wisely stayed quiet during the whole exchange, looked surprised at them implication that both she and Anna would be there. _Does she know?_ Elsa shook her head. Of course not, she was being paranoid as usual. Then Anna had turned away and Angela made eye contact with her. Her eyes darted from Anna to Elsa then gave Elsa a huge exaggerated wink and thumbs up. Elsa's face turned scarlet when she discovered that Angela somehow _knew_.

With a final wave, Angela escorted herself out of the castle, leaving Elsa and Anna behind. Silence fell between them before Anna finally chose to speak.

"How could you let these things happen?" she asked.

"What do you mean?" Elsa looked at Anna curiously.

"I mean how could you let the council rule your life like that? They just chose to set you up with I don't know how many princes! And with the witch, what was that? You just let her so close to you and she spoke about you so crassly!" It seemed that Anna's anger had returned. It was no wonder, with her recent discovery of her lesbianism, her break up with Kristoff, and now her sister missing their special time together for some..some hussy!

"I need to find my true love, Anna. It had to be that way. And the witch's name is Angela. You should do well to respect the woman who is going to save you from being treated like cattle," returned Elsa, hotly.

"You are the queen! Whether or not you are _her _queen, she shouldn't be all over you. You should have frozen her hands off for that." Anna refused to let the argument go.

"Exactly, Anna. I am the queen. I can let who ever I want touch me. Who are you to speak when apparently you are friendly with one of the prostitutes at the local whorehouse!" accused the queen. Slowly ice began to creep on the floor the angrier Elsa became. Neither of the sisters seemed to notice how close their faces were in their heated argument.

"Her name is Diane and I never did anything with her. She's just a friend I made and a really nice one, too. At least she made time to talk to me even if she was working, unlike someone I know!" It was a low blow to comment on the very thing Elsa promised overcome; Anna knew it as soon as the words passed her lips. "Elsa, I-"

Guilt racked inside Elsa while the frost continued to spread and thicken. Spikes of ice began to emerge from the floors. Anna grabbed her sister's face between her hands and began to stroke her cheeks.

"I'm sorry, Elsa, I didn't mean that. I've just been really frustrated. I'm sorry," whispered Anna.

Elsa wanted to run, to let her cold fury lose and let everything go and give in to the anger. She couldn't—it would endanger the people in the castle. As much as she wanted to be annoyed with Anna, she let herself focus on the soft strokes. Soon enough, the ice was gone when Elsa let herself feel the love she had for Anna. _Feel it, then conceal it_. The new motto chanted in her head repeatedly just as her old one used to. It would do no one any good if she blocked out her feelings, but it didn't mean she would wear her heart on her sleeve either.

"It's okay, Anna. It seems we're both a little on edge today. Why don't you tell me about your new friend? How did you meet her?"

"Ah yeah. Well it was an accident. I saw a shop and I wanted to see what it sells. Ends up it was a brothel. Haha woops, right?" giggled Anna, clearly embarrassed from her mistake.

"You didn't…do anything with her, right?" asked Elsa hesitantly.

"Oh no! Nothing like that. Not really…"Anna was remembering that kiss and the way she felt the lasting tingles in her lips long after she had left. She wondered if that's what if felt like to kiss all girls. Even Elsa? No, Elsa probably wasn't warm like Diane. Her lips were probably smooth, like silk, cold, and perfect like the rest of her. Anna quickly shook the thought away before she could fully process it.

"She told me a little bit about her childhood. Diane and Kristoff were friends when they were kids back when they were orphans just wandering around. Apparently, most orphans just wander around until someone picks them up for work," continued Anna.

Elsa frowned. "That can't be right. Shouldn't we have an orphanage or some home of the sort?"

"We don't. Not because we're bad people or anything! It's just that they're all in an area where royals don't exactly go to, so we had no idea. We can totally fix that now! If Diane takes my offer and she agrees to help me, I can finally be useful, Elsa." assured Anna.

Allowing herself the small pleasure, Elsa wrapped an arm around Anna's shoulder as they walked away.

"You keep me sane and give me strength. You are _always_ useful to me." _And the brightest warmth to keep the frost from my heart._

_..._

_..._

Once again, Elsa found herself face to face with Kristoff. It was late afternoon and the sun was low in the sky. Her eyes were tired and the control she had over her emotions was barely there as she continued to mull over the realization that she had to find a suitor at the coming ball. Kristoff waved his hand in front of Elsa's face to get her attention.

Elsa blinked and found Kristoff staring at her with concern. "Sorry, my mind was elsewhere. Did you need anything?"

"Actually, this time I'm looking for Anna. I had some time to think things over, and I'm ready to be there for her. As a friend."

"Are you and Anna not together anymore?" asked Elsa.

"No," sighed Kristoff. "But I'm glad she told me as soon as she found out she didn't really care for me that way. I can't be selfish right now when Anna is going through all this on her own… mostly. She told me how you've supported her so far and I want to do the same."

Kristoff hesitated before placing a large hand on Elsa's shoulder. "You're a good sister, Elsa. Anna is lucky to have you."

Kristoff waved goodbye to the confused queen. It seemed like her week was full of confusion. Just when it seemed like things finally ended, more issues and entanglements popped up.

_Anna found out something about herself and I somehow helped? What is everyone talking about?_

* * *

**A/N: So...I've realized that winging it isn't such a great idea. I need to stop to plan things out because now we're at the point where the story twists matter _a lot_ more than before and I don't want to entangle myself in a plot I can't get out of or doesn't make sense. If you have any suggestions, feel free to say so. **

**The next update might be some time, it might not be. I just need to take a bit of time to really plan out something awesome. **

**I also wanted to mention that I have a few writing projects popping up that take priority. It may possibly affect how often I update, so I do apologize ahead of time if that does happen, but hopefully it won't!**


	7. Chapter 7

**A/N: Sorry for the late update. Anime Expo happened, but now I'm back and really pumped. I've decided to continue my "winging it" style since it's been working out pretty well so far. I just made a very rough outline. I was also very much inspired by several people to continue improving and taking my time with the chapters a bit more (perhaps not so much with this one, but I really wanted to post it as soon as possible).  
**

* * *

A visitor arrived outside the gates late that morning, according to the guard that approached Anna.

Elsa had already been approached about the visitor, but she was drowning in work, as usual, and so it was up to the princess to greet whoever it was. Taking a page from Elsa's book, Anna straightened her back and held her head high. Luckily her hair was cooperating that day, so Anna proudly walked to the main entrance to greet who it was. Perhaps it was a representative from a nearby kingdom? Some lord of Arendelle? Whoever it was, Anna would greet them with poise because she was not only a princess, but a princess with a responsibility to the kingdom. Clearly, being put on the board of construction had gone to her head a bit.

"Presenting Angela the Witch," announced the guard. Anna's façade fell.

The witch walked up to Anna with a smirk, as if she knew exactly how much Anna didn't want to see her.

"Princess, so good to see your beautiful face again," said Angela.

"What are you doing here? I thought you left two days ago?" Anna was absolutely bewildered. Didn't the witch say she was going back home?

"Change of plans. Uhh…there is a terrible evil coming and I have come to warn you," said Angela in a bored tone. She flicked her wrist and sparkles appeared for some added effect that only made it seem like a cheap magic trick.

"You came to help us?"

Angela snorted. "Gods, no. I came to watch. I need a room ready since I spent all the money I brought, but it was worth _every_ coin. Diane says hello, by the way."

Clearly not thrilled with the saucy wielder of magic, Anna discreetly looked around for Elsa before going back to the task of getting rid of Angela.

"Why don't you stay where you slept last night?" asked Anna.

"Mmm, I wish, but I wasn't actually doing any sleeping. I was still busy making good use of my money. All. Night. Long. Still had a bit left over for some new clothes, though. I couldn't exactly walk around Arendelle in my _thoroughly_ ravished state." Anna's face was quite red by now with embarrassment.

"I-wha-ugh! Whatever. You can stay I guess. But you better respect Elsa or you'll be sorry!" threatened Anna. At this moment, Elsa walked beside Anna, impeccable as she always was.

"Angela, welcome. Is there a reason you have returned so soon?" she asked.

"Let me talk to you for a second, Your Majesty," said Angela, guiding Elsa to the side. Anna's cheeks puffed with annoyance.

"Other than an impending huge life change and danger coming up (don't worry about that), you need me, Queenie. I can help you get Anna. Sure, I haven't exactly had contact with other beings in several decades, but that's okay! I know magic. I'm pretty sure I can help you with a little thing like love."

"Anna is my _sister_," argued Elsa. She wrung her wrists while her eyes darted towards Anna, praying that she didn't hear the conversation.

"It's okay, I'm pretty sure she likes girls," reassured the witch.

"I don't think you understand the problem—" began Elsa.

"Diane!" shrieked Anna, interrupting the conversation as she tackled the brunette girl who came through the gates with a hug.

"Diane?" asked Angela, turning to face them.

"A-Angela?" stuttered Diane. Her confident demeanor melted away as her face turned as bright as the witch's hair.

"Diane?" came the voice of Kristoff as entered through the gates along with Sven.

"Kristoff?" said Diane with a smile.

"Kristoff!" exclaimed Anna.

"Kristoff?" Angela frowned.

"Olaf!" yelled out Olaf as he came from behind Kristoff.

"Olaf!" said Elsa and Anna.

"Gah!" screamed Diane.

"Hi, I'm Olaf and I like warm hugs!"Olaf hugged the paling brunette girl.

_Oh boy_, thought Elsa.

* * *

Once Diane was thoroughly revived with the best possible medicine (chocolate, as suggested by Anna) and Sven was put into the stables with plenty of carrots, the group sat down in a private room to sort the mess out.

"First of all," began Elsa, taking on her "business queenly tone". "Diane, was it? Olaf is harmless and quite friendly. I'm sure you'll enjoy his company once you get to know him. Second of all, let's get all the surprise out the way, shall we?"

"Wow, Diane, it's been so long! I've missed you," started Kristoff.

"You could've visited, ya big lug," smirked Diane.

"How do you know Anna? I mean it's not like you guys met in the…hold on a second. You guys met that day you ran off?" Kristoff turned to Anna. She nodded her head.

"That's also the day that…wait. You guys didn't…you know…" he trailed off.

"Oh, no, I wouldn't. I mean, sure I would. We were about to. But we didn't. Just a kiss," assured Angela.

"What?!" Ice spread quickly from Elsa's hands. Angela quickly walked over to the queen and clamped her hand over her wrist. The ice immediately disappeared.

"Clearly this is why you need me," said Angela.

"Why _are_ you still here? You told me you were leaving today," questioned Diane.

"Arendelle has…beautiful sights I've come to enjoy. I thought it'd be best to stick around and enjoy them more," said Angela seductively.

Elsa had enough. "I would like to ask all of you to move into the next room and leave my sister and I here. Solve whatever it is you need and catch up on everything. I need to talk to Anna."

The large group walked out of the room, including Olaf who was rather happy at the prospect of making new friends. As soon as the door closed, Elsa and Anna looked at each other. Anna began to giggle and Elsa couldn't help but follow. Laughter soon echoed in the room from the normally composed queen and her energetic sister. Through the tears of laughter caused by the complete ridiculousness of the situation, Anna glanced at Elsa in one of the rare moments she got to witness Elsa without fear, without restraint, without her barriers. It made her realize, in that moment, how little she knew of her sister. What did Elsa like to do in her (limited) spare time? What was her favorite genre of books? Did she have other hobbies? Who was Elsa if you stripped away her title as Queen, as sister, and as wielder of magic?

Meanwhile, Elsa basked in the feeling of her neatly flowing magic. In the moments she let herself love Anna, the usual cacophony of ice within her straightened itself into a flowing river of power that lifted her heart and caused her finger tips to tingle with controlled magic. Her body would warm up a bit more, more like the human Anna always saw her as, and it was in those moments that she would believe her. Despite the hate the outside world may have, despite all the hurt that would come with it, Elsa held in the love for just a little longer…to feel warm just a little longer.

It took a while for either sister to realize they had stopped laughing and where now staring at each other with a smile on their flushed faces. It was Elsa to first to realize and she cleared her throat quietly.

"Yes, well, it's quite the situation we've found ourselves in," said Elsa.

Anna began to chuckle a bit once again. "Some timing, huh. We should sneak out and let them handle their own problems."

"That's very irresponsible, Anna. They're our guests," chided Elsa. Anna ignored her and took her sister's hand. It was warm, she noticed.

"They'll be fine, let's go. We can find them later."

With that they snuck out of the room through the other set of doors and towards the inner maze of the castle.

* * *

"What do you think they're talking about?" wondered Anna out loud before chomping into the still warm pastry.

Crumbs gathered around wrinkles of Anna's dress, Elsa had noticed with disdain. She looked down at her own dress, mostly clean and immaculate as always, but even she could not avoid the specks of dessert. Not that it mattered, either way. If it weren't the crumbs messing up her dress, it would be the gathering dust in the small passage way she and Anna found themselves in. How did Anna convince her to come here again?

_Because I can't deny her anything, _Elsa answered herself while she peeked at the princess. Though Anna had just asked her a question, she continued biting into the Krumkake with a blissful, faraway look on her face.

"I don't know. I don't know them very well, but I'm sure Olaf is chatting up a storm, no matter what the subject is," replied Elsa after her brief pause.

"Hm," was the only sound Anna made.

"How did you even find this place?" asked Elsa.

"I was running around one day and I sort of found myself here," said Anna. "Okay maybe I was running and I tripped on the tapestry covering this place, but I still totally found it," she added embarrassingly.

"Where does that door lead?" Anna turned to look at where Elsa was pointing to. In the dimly lit passageway, she was just able to make out the old wooden door.

"I'm pretty sure it's an escape route or something. I never tried it out," said Anna.

"Why not?"

"I-um. I was scared there was a Minotaur trapped inside."

Elsa shook her head in disbelief. "I knew I should have never read that story to you when we were kids. I'm surprised you still remember."

"Grand Pabbie only took my memories of your powers. I still remember the good old days…just a little bit differently. You aren't your powers, Elsa." _Maybe one day Elsa will believe it._

Elsa took a moment to take those words and store them for later contemplation before she changed the subject.

"So what do _you_ think they're talking about?"

* * *

"You two…know each other?" asked Kristoff.

"Quite intimately. And you two?" responded Angela.

"We grew up together."

"Ah."

"I wasn't expecting you to still be working there, Diane. You know Anna or Elsa could probably find you work here," said Kristoff after a brief pause.

"I'm not ashamed of my job. It's pretty fun sometimes, though I'm probably going to take Anna's offer and help her out for a while," Diane replied.

Angela frowned. "Well that's not any fun for me."

Diane winked at her. "Hun, for another chance between those thighs, payment isn't necessary."

"Gah, okay, stop. I don't want to listen to this anymore," said Kristoff while covering his ears and cringing.

"C'mon, Krissy. You know how it is," teased Diane.

"N-not exactly."

"You've never had sex with anyone?" asked Angela.

"Not any _human, _I bet. Not with that creepy reindeer obsession," laughed Diane.

"Okay," interrupted Olaf. "Can all of you repeat that again. I didn't understand any of it."

* * *

Somehow Anna managed to convince Elsa to hang around a little longer. This was the most time they have spent together at one time since they were children and they still managed to avoid troubling subjects when they spoke. The sun was setting over the horizon and the whole day that could have been used working, was spent with Anna. Elsa couldn't find it in her to regret the decision.

Bliss. Her normally hyperactive mind had slowed and the only word the Queen of Arendelle could think of to describe this moment was _bliss._ To feel her powers flow like blood in her veins and wear her traditional Arendelle dress made her feel human. Her fingers were still entwined with Anna's for a while now—since they explored the castle gardens earlier. Elsa absentmindedly stroked Anna's callused palms caused by years of her clumsy and risky nature. A complete opposite when compared to her own unmarred, smooth, pale hands. Untouched for years. Until Anna.

They were in Elsa's room, hands linked while Anna looked through the piles of paper before her. Drawings upon drawings of scenes, buildings, and people. The detail astounded Anna almost as much as finding out her sister was had a knack for art.

"This is amazing, Els! No wonder you were able to make an entire freakin' castle," gushed Anna.

Elsa blushed and fiddled with loose braid with her free hand. She only wore it that way around Anna. "I had a lot of time in here. I'd read books and try to draw out the scenes or people since I couldn't see them beyond my bedroom door."

"I told you, you are more than just your powers. One part of your life doesn't define all that you are. Just like you are an artist and you appreciate books outside of your duties. Just like me finding out I like girls didn't change the definition of 'me',"added Anna.

Elsa froze and suddenly everything she had been missing made sense. What Anna had said the morning after she read the book. What Kristoff had said when he came looking for Anna after the break up. That kiss Anna had with Diane (which she will very much address later).

"You like girls?"

* * *

**A/N: I've decided to not be scared of using my OC's. Their presence was unexpected, but I'm sure they can work themselves in juuuust fine. **


End file.
